Stroom. De Zaan in beweging / Current. The Zaan in motion

Along the banks of the Zaan River (Zaandam, the Netherlands), the lifeblood of the region, the characteristic industry has been increasingly retreating in recent years. Vacant factories are being demolished or are being repurposed, with new residents or users. Residential and recreational areas are expanding. Many industrial areas in the Netherlands are undergoing such a major spatial and social transition, but nowhere is this change more visible than along the Zaan River.

From 2019 to 2023, I, along with my former teacher Bert Verhoeff, photographed the changing landscape of Europe's oldest industrial area.

This photo book follows our walk along the Zaan River, from north to south, from Westknollendam to the point where the Zaan flows into the North Sea Canal. An introductory essay by Floris Alkemade and observational texts by Verhoeff provide context for the photos.